Private Vocational School Regulation

In Saskatchewan, private vocational schools are regulated under the authority of:

• The Private Vocational Schools Regulation Act, 1995;
• The Private Vocational Schools Regulations, 2022; and
• The Post-Secondary Education and Skills Training Act.

Schools exempt from registration include:

1. A university, a regional college governed by The Regional Colleges Act and Saskatchewan Polytechnic;
2. A school governed by The Education Act, by any other act or by any act of the Parliament of Canada;
3. A school operated by a professional organization, where the training or instruction is part of professional requirements or is part of professional development;
4. A school is operated or provided by an employer or group of employers for employees or an employer association;
5. A school operated by an employee association for members of the employee association; and,
6. A school or institution that:
   • Does not have a physical presence in Saskatchewan;
   • Is an educational institution located outside Saskatchewan and provides distance or online education to Saskatchewan residents;
   • Only delivers online, correspondence, or home study courses or programs;
   • Only delivers courses or programs that are entirely funded by a sponsor;
   • A school that offers education in the following exempt vocations:
     • 31303 (physicians, midwives, and allied health professionals)
     • 32101 (licensed practical nurses)
     • 32200 (traditional Chinese medicine practitioners and acupuncturists)
     • 32209 (other practitioners of natural healing, except manual osteopathy)
     • 41302 (religious leaders)
     • 42204 (religion workers)
     • 55109 (other performers)
     • 65229 (other support occupations in personal service)
     • 72600 (air pilots, flight engineers and flying instructors)

When a student withdraws or is discontinued from a program, the school must submit a Refund Calculator to demonstrate that the refund or retention of tuition fees was calculated accurately (pursuant to section 5-4 of The Private Vocational Schools Regulations, 2022). The information must be submitted to the Ministry of Advanced Education through the Private Vocational School Registry within 30 days of the discontinuation or withdrawal of the student.

Programs offered by private vocational schools must include more than 50 hours of instruction, have a tuition fee of more than $1,000, lead to a certificate or diploma, lead to a vocation within a National Occupational Classification (NOC), and there must be a demand in the labour market for graduates of the program.

Expression of Interest

To become a private vocational school and offer vocational program(s) in Saskatchewan, the Expression of Interest Form and Labour Market Evidence Form must be submitted to the Ministry of Advanced Education at pvsinquiry@gov.sk.ca. Once the forms are received, the ministry will review the information to determine if the school/program(s) qualify for registration pursuant to The Private Vocational Schools Regulation Act, 1995 and its regulations. The applicant will be advised of next steps as applicable.

Private Vocational School Registry

The Private Vocational School Registry (PVSR) is a web-based system used by the ministry to regulate private vocational schools in Saskatchewan.

When the ministry receives an Expression of Interest submission and determines that the pre-registration requirements are met, the ministry will email an invitation to the applicant to begin their application in the PVSR. Once the application is complete, the school will be required to pay for and submit the application(s) to the ministry.

Schools that have been registered with the ministry also use the PVSR to review and update registered school and program information, and submit other documentation and payments pursuant to The Private Vocational Schools Regulation Act, 1995 its regulations and policies.

Registration Guides

Use the following Registration Guides to assist you through the PVSR, as applicable:

The Registration Guide – New School and Program(s)
The Registration Guide – New Program(s)

For complete details on the registration process, please review the Private Vocational Schools Administration and Policy Manual.

Post-secondary education institutions interested in becoming designated to host international students can now apply for designation. The temporary pause on applications has been lifted.